Umnotho Introduces a Community Owned Grocery Store and Bakery
- bliss27
- Nov 14
- 2 min read
By Bliss Yeni
November 14, 2025
The ground at Plot 79, Rietfontein in Muldersdrift is buzzing with activity as two shipping containers, compliments of the Dora Tamana Co-operative Agency (DTCA), mark another major milestone for Umnotho Community. The containers, soon to be transformed into a grocery store and bakery, represent Ikamva Co-operative. This is a tangible step in Umnotho Community’s vision of building self-sustaining, community-owned enterprises.
The idea of Ikamva was formally set in motion on the 2nd of November 2024, when members of Umnotho Community gathered at the Umnotho Training Centre to establish the co-operative. On that day, members adopted a constitution, elected a board and supervisory committee, and officially registered the co-operative with support from the Dora Tamana Co-operative Agency.
Early training provided by DTCA covered essential areas such as the principles of co-operation, consumer co-operative models, governance structures, and food safety. These sessions equipped members with the knowledge to run a transparent, accountable, and community-centred organisation.
True to Umnotho’s community-driven approach, Ikamva quickly expanded its footprint through door-to-door surveys and local workshops in the Westrand District. The response from residents was overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing excitement about the prospect of owning a stake in a local grocery and bakery, where profits would circulate back into the community.
A community awareness campaign that followed reached over 1800 people, with more than 300 registering their interest in joining the co-operative. Workshops became spaces of learning and empowerment, giving residents confidence in the co-operative model and reigniting trust in community-based initiatives.
Ikamva is open to everyone in the Mogale City area, with a joining fee of R250; R50 of this amount is a non-refundable administration fee.
How Ownership Works
One of Ikamva’s most empowering features is that every member becomes a part-owner of the co-operative. By joining for R250, community members secure their share in the organisation.
Membership grants individuals the right to participate in decision-making, vote at general meetings, elect leadership, and help shape the direction of the grocery store and bakery. It also means that any surplus generated is reinvested into community development or shared in ways that benefit members collectively.
The idea is for members to buy their monthly groceries through the co-operative’s buying clubs, which allow them to purchase in bulk at reduced prices. This collective buying system ensures affordability, strengthens local purchasing power, and keeps profits within the community.
Ikamva is ultimately a reflection of Umnotho’s broader mission: to create platforms where ordinary people can participate meaningfully in the economy, own the process of development, and build a future rooted in cooperation and dignity.
